The six long war years ended and my family survived unharmed with
our house standing and our hearts filled with thanksgiving.

A year after Germany's capitulation life was gradually returning
to some kind of normal state. In my English class in high-school was a growing
desire to find pen-pals in great Britain or the United States, to learn English
better by corresponding.

Addresses were hard to come by, however, and I was never
lucky to get one when the teacher had a few to give out.